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My Prostate Cancer Surgery experience

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User

Posted 19 Sep 2018 at 17:59

Thanks! Now I've finished the course of injections the bruising's fading, but each one goes through a spectacular range of colours as it does so, and given that they're all obviously different "ages" it'll take a while to fade completely, I suspect. Doesn't really hurt - just a little bit sore. As you say, though, different people react differently. I've always come out in bruises from injections.

Cheers,

Chris

User

Posted 19 Sep 2018 at 18:17

Great to hear things have gone well for you Gowerboy and Pauly.

wishing you all the best,

Ian

Ido4

User

Posted 19 Sep 2018 at 19:40

Hi Pauly

re the white stockings Maybe get the size checked then. I have a size large on one leg and an Extra large on another due to a bit of swelling I have had on one knee for some time and they feel fine. Yes if you pinch an inch and do the injection there you should hopefully be ok

My bandages came off after a few days and told no stitches so should heal naturally .I was told they were glued

Yes lack of sleep is a bugbear but hopefully in time we will sleep better but I guess a minor irritation in the scheme of things

I went out today and caught in the wind and rain and felt it more than normal

Cheers

Paul

User

Posted 19 Sep 2018 at 19:43

Hi Ian

Thanks for this and I hope you are doing ok

Best Wishes

Paul

User

Posted 19 Sep 2018 at 21:00

I had my RARP on 20th August and feel recovery has gone really well, catheter was removed on 29th and 3 weeks later I’m almost continent and just needing a light protector pad. I have to make regular toilet visits during night (at least 4 times) but was like that before surgery.

My psa was 9.1 and Gleason score of 7 (3+4) and contained with no spread to lymph nodes. So now waiting for follow up appointment date, which they said would be in 6-8 weeks.

Hope you all continue to heal well and we can beat this.

User

Posted 19 Sep 2018 at 21:36

HI RWM

Thanks for this and your PSA and Gleason score was the same as mine. I am glad to hear your recovery is going well and side effects are quite minimal.

Hope you continue this progress and all goes well at your follow up appointment and you go from strength to strength

Best Wishes

Paul

User

Posted 20 Sep 2018 at 07:33

Hi Ian,

Thanks for the good wishes, just read your story....looks like you have had it hard with all the ongoing treatments, no wonder you say you are so tired from it all and I think you have done amazingly well keeping it all together and your test results show you have had good results to date and long may that continue.

I hope you are able to enjoy a long and rewarding retirement

All the best

Pauly

User

Posted 20 Sep 2018 at 13:13

Glad its all going well

User

Posted 20 Sep 2018 at 13:41

Hi Guys,

Just back from the hospital and yes the catheter has been successfully removed without any issues.

Minor leakage so far and changed one pad. Pelvic floor muscle seems to be doing its thing quite naturally which is a very pleasant bonus.

Pauly

User

Posted 20 Sep 2018 at 14:43

Great news, Pauly. I wish you a successful recovery.

Chris

User

Posted 20 Sep 2018 at 17:23

Gowerboy - diolch yn fawr - your experience has certainly improved my outlook, and surgery does not seem such a radical option.

Hwyl

Nick

User

Posted 20 Sep 2018 at 18:23

Hi Guys,

I have been a bit busy today following by hospital visit earlier so can now update you with what else happened today.

Nurses also removed my metal clips from the 5 wound sites. Now feeling rather sore there but I know it will all pass fairly quickly from here so that's good too.

Been to the loo a few times now and control seems pretty good so far with being able to sense when I need to go and then holding until I get to the loo. Sitting down rather than standing still seems the best way for me. Pelvic floor is working and I am able to control flow to some degree (not quite able to piss like a racehorse yet but hopeful that won't be too long now).

Having that catheter out was just a few seconds, no pain just mild discomfort but feeling so much better now and looking forward to a good night's kip which has been a long time coming.....

All the best to you

Pauly

User

Posted 20 Sep 2018 at 18:34

I think you’ll find that having the surgical staples removed will make you an awful lot more comfortable (once the staple holes have closed up, which takes about 24h). They were my main source of pain once I got home from hospital. Because my surgery was abdominal, the staples pulled every time I moved, which hurt like hell. Perhaps though with an RP op the wounds don’t move as much when you walk?

It’s amazing how quickly the appearance of the wounds will improve without the staples. I only had staples in my long incision (the others were sutured). When the staples were removed it looked horrible - angry red and puckered up like a mountain range! - but now 10 days later it’s just a thin pink line with a row of pink dots on each side where the staple holes were.

Chris

User

Posted 20 Sep 2018 at 19:45

Hi Chris,

Thanks for posting. Feeling a bit like I did after the biopsy procedure now, rather sore and sensitive down there if you know what I mean and very similar sensations right now so not feeling like I will sleep too well tonight but still much better without that rubber tubing and bag etc etc.

Again nurses were really good and reassuring even though I was pretty grumpy earlier without much sleep lately. Really need to get back into decent sleeps next...

Consultant also got the results of my prostate and margins tests post surgery.....got to be honest and say if what he told and showed me is right (and I have no reason not to believe it) then it looks like they got it just in time. 2nd biopsy confirmed I had 5+4 = 9 Gleason grade/score in the left side of the prostate.

Consultant told me that tumor was completely contained within the capsule and no signs of any extensions or break out. The other very positive update was that the margins were all clear with 0 (zero) scores. Having had the whole prostate taken out he seemed very happy with the lab test results.

Best news I could have wished for and not ashamed to say I cried like a baby when he told me and shook his hand and just couldn't let go...the man did a fantastic job and achieved an amazing outcome.

Back in November for the first follow up tests to see what they find.

All the best

Pauly

User

Posted 20 Sep 2018 at 20:12

That’s wonderful news about the lab results - I’m delighted to hear it!

All the best for your continuing recovery,

Chris

User

Posted 20 Sep 2018 at 21:08

Hi Pauly

Excellent news that the Catheter has been removed and all went well

Yes it seems doing the Pelvic floor exercises does work

I hope you go from strength to strength

Best Wishes

Paul

User

Posted 20 Sep 2018 at 21:13

Hi Nick

diolch yn fawr to you too

I was also worried before hand about surgery which is probably natural

As a Macmillan Nurse said we will all have our own individual journeys and none will be identical

I must admit after a while when I had eventually made a decision I decided to stay away from forums as I found the conflicting experiences a bit confusing and once I made the decision I thought it was best to stick to it and not let anything give me doubts

let us know how you get on Nick and if I can give you any other info let me know

Best Wishes

Paul

User

Posted 20 Sep 2018 at 21:19

Hi Pauly

Fantastic News and I am not surprised you were so emotional as it must have been such a relief

So pleased for you and hope your recovery is a good one

Keep in touch

Paul

User

Posted 21 Sep 2018 at 07:32

Hi Paul & Chris,

Many thanks for the posts last night,much appreciated.

I am still getting my head round the lab results and there is a nagging doubt in my head that I could be possibly be clear after being diagnosed as Gleason 9 with T2 and relatively low PSA. I feel very fortunate indeed right now and the relief is like nothing I have felt before.

Now to get on with recovery I guess, another poor night's sleep but hoping tonight will be much much better.

No night time incontinence but I did go to the loo almost hourly so not a surprise really. A few dribbles this morning after 1st daylight pee (still sitting down as it just feels right for me).

Time for some peppermint tea and breakfast, nice sunny day here which always helps so may try a bit of potting new plants for the season,nice to be able to think of getting on with what seemed such a trivial thing only a few days ago.

All the best

Pauly

User

Posted 21 Sep 2018 at 08:17

Hi Pauly,

They were pretty quick with your post-operative biopsy results - I had to wait six weeks for mine and according to the histology report, the samples were not even looked at for four weeks! They blame it on a shortage of pathologists at my particular hospital.

It seems you have been very lucky with such an aggressive cancer, G9, and the fact that it has been completely removed with no spread is very good news indeed. Good job it was caught in time.

Best of luck with your recovery.

Cheers, John

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